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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27323800">It</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/raelee514/pseuds/raelee514'>raelee514</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Remembering Robron 2020 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Emmerdale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>#rememberingrobron2020, #robron3daybonanza2020, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 22:12:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,368</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27323800</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/raelee514/pseuds/raelee514</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Theme - Love/Romance (for gif sets/art/edits/playlists)</p><p>Fic Prompts:</p><p>“I couldn’t forget you even if I tried. And believe me, I’ve tried.”</p><p>Yes, it's another Reunion 3.0.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Remembering Robron 2020 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1994878</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>91</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>It</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He found out by accident. He'd run into Vic outside her house and ended up helping her bring in her packages. She talked a mile a minute, about nothing really, but they hadn't had a catch up in a while. Both of them just busy living their lives. He asked her how she was doing, knowing she'd just been through another bad break up. But she just rolled her eyes and said it was good riddance — and it turned out the gossip hadn't gotten the details right. She'd dumped her latest beau because it turned out he was married, with a whole family, in Hotten. </p><p>Aaron wanted to strangle him, but she just shook her head and said she felt relieved. She hadn't been really feeling it — maybe it'd been an instinct. They drank tea and talked a bit more. And she went upstairs to use the loo, and Aaron got fidgety while he waited. He was never good at sitting still…</p><p>He picked up some magazines, making faces at the snobby looking food on the covers, and a letter fell to the floor. It was strange to see a letter, especially in the age of texts and zoom. The only mail he got these days were bills, yet he paid them online and always thought they were a waste. He picked it up, really, with no thought to read it. Just to put it back on the table. </p><p>Only he saw the handwriting. </p><p>Neat, compact, legible, unlike his own.  </p><p>
  <i>Robert.</i>
</p><p>Immediately his heart was alive. That was what it felt like. It started to beat in his chest. He looked behind him, and there was no sign of Victoria, so he straightened the paper and started to read.  </p><p>
  <i> Vic,</i>
</p><p>
  <i>I'm not sure how to start this. I know I haven't written as much as you'd like. I know you're angry I won't let you visit — I wish I could explain why better, though it's probably selfish. But anyway, I know you're probably angry with but… </i>
</p><p>
  <i>Well. Vic. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>I'm getting released early. Almost seven years to the day, I walked into this place. I don't know the full details yet, just the date that I'm out. November 2nd. I don't really know what to think about any of this. It's sudden, and I'm pinching myself. And, well… I'm not sure what I want to do, or where to go, all I do know is I'd like a friendly face. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>Is your face still friendly, Vic? </i>
</p><p>
  <i>Anyway, they tell me they'll be putting some official paperwork in with this since I've chosen you as my contact release.  </i>
</p><p>
  <i>I'm getting out. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>Robert. </i>
</p><p>
  <i></i>
</p><p>He read it twice, then he started moving the magazines and papers on the table, looking for the information. The when and where. He stared at the letter again and then he grabbed his phone. </p><p>October 31st. </p><p>It was October 31st. </p><p>Two days. </p><p>"Robert…" he muttered.  </p><p>He heard footsteps. </p><p>He realized he was crying as he turned to her. "Two days," he shouted, holding the letter. </p><p>Her eyes went wide. "Please don't be mad."</p><p>"Are you going…"</p><p>She nodded. "I leave tonight…as soon Moira can take Harry."</p><p>"I'm going with ya."</p><p>"Aaron…"</p><p>"NO," he shouted. "I'm going with ya."</p><p>She nodded. </p><p>Aaron felt relief settle in his bones. </p><p>~~~</p><p>"I'm sorry that I didn't tell ya," Vic said about an hour into their drive. </p><p>"Why didn't ya?"</p><p>"I just… it's complicated, isn't it?" </p><p>"Is it?" he asked.  </p><p>"Of course, it is… you've moved on."</p><p>Aaron snorted. </p><p>"You were married."</p><p>"And it was a disaster…" Aaron sighed. "I regretted it immediately. I did it for all the wrong reasons, and I wasted Max's time. And before that, I wasted Ben's, and Alex came back for another round…"</p><p>Vic snorted. "Never understood the Alex appeal."</p><p>"Mum and Liv…" Aaron sighed. "Stopped letting them push me after that."</p><p>"Is that why you've been single?"</p><p>"Partly…" Aaron said.</p><p>"Do you still love Robert?"</p><p>"I never stopped," Aaron sniffed and wiped at his eyes, blinking madly, because he was driving. "That's what no one's ever understood, Vic. I never stopped — he wrote that one time. He said there was no good way for us to end…" he inhaled sharply. "He was right. I don't think we ended. We were..."</p><p>"Torn apart?"</p><p>"Felt torn apart, yeah… he was it, Vic. It. You don't follow It. Not without settling — but Max, Ben, even Alex, they never deserved to be with someone settling for them. It was always inevitable that we couldn't work out…I could never give them all of me."</p><p>"Aaron…" she sounded sad. </p><p>"I don't know what to expect, I just know, I need to see him, touch him… maybe punch him."</p><p>She laughed. "Been picturing that, punching him… for pushing me away, pushing us all away."</p><p>Aaron nodded. </p><p>"Do you think he's alright?"</p><p>Aaron let out a shaky breath.  </p><p>"What if he's changed?"</p><p>"He'll still be Robert." </p><p>~~~</p><p>They were in a waiting room. Aaron couldn't stay still. He kept pacing. He felt Vic watching him. Her eyes tracking him, going to and fro, but he couldn't bring himself to ask her to stop. He knew he couldn't stop moving either…</p><p>He ran his hands through what was left of his hair. Robert would see he'd gotten old. He looked down and wondered if he should have worn something else. Something like a suit…</p><p>Robert loved him in a suit. </p><p>But he shook his head. He needed to be comfortable. </p><p>Robert would be in his suit. The one he wore seven years ago. </p><p>Aaron gulped for air. </p><p>The door opened. </p><p>Both he and Vic leaped toward it. But it was an officer. He went up to the desk in the room. Aaron glared at him for not being Robert. Vic looked at the time on the wall, a big analog clock, that they could hear ticking. </p><p>She went to the desk, and after the officer left, she asked. "Robert Sugden, he was supposed to be released at 3?"</p><p>"Yes, it should be any time now."</p><p>"It's almost four," Aaron snapped. </p><p>The woman shrugged. "They're never running on time."</p><p>Aaron sighed and started pacing again. </p><p>But the door opened.</p><p>Again they leaped toward it. </p><p>It was another officer, but Robert was with him. </p><p>The officer went to the desk, but the three of them stood still. </p><p>And stared. </p><p>Aaron's eyes blurred, and he cursed himself for crying. He wanted to look. He wanted to drink him in. He looked thin, his hair was too long, and was that beard on his chin? He looked ragged and tired like he hadn't slept once during the seven years…</p><p>Aaron heard himself sob. </p><p>"Rob…" Vic broke their silence and hugged her brother. </p><p>But Robert was staring at him. Like he couldn't believe his eyes.</p><p>Aaron let out a breath and nodded. Of course, he was here. </p><p>"Oh, Rob…" Vic looked like she was crushing him.</p><p>Robert tore his eyes off of Aaron hugged back. "I'm okay."</p><p>His voice was clogged by emotion, but it was a sound Aaron missed, the timbre, the annoying enunciation. He stepped closer and found Robert staring at him again. </p><p>"You were meant to forget me," Robert whispered. "What are you doing here?"</p><p>Aaron shook his head. "I wouldn't be anywhere else."</p><p>Vic moved away. </p><p>Aaron stepped close, he wanted to step into Robert's space, hug him, but he felt this fear he might get shoved away. Years of no contact. The pain of no contact. The pain of the divorce. </p><p>"Did ya?" Robert whispered. "Move on?"</p><p>"I tried."</p><p>Robert looked down.</p><p>"But…I couldn't forget you… Even if I tried." He rolled his eyes. "I know because believe me, I tried… but you're It, Robert." </p><p>"Aaron…" Robert let out a breath, and tears fell down his face.</p><p>Aaron rushed forward and touched his face, tracing old favorite freckle patterns, wiping the tears. "I couldn't forget you… I couldn't let you go."</p><p>Robert wrapped his arms around him. </p><p>Aaron felt whole for the first time in seven years. </p><p>It wasn't going to be easy. But he and Robert never were. </p><p>Aaron knew fighting to be together would be worth it. </p><p>It always was.</p>
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